Curious Cabinet
by Kotodashi Kyoshi
Summary: Draco finds himself thrown in the past while trying to fix the cabinet. How much will a few run-ins with a certain bushy haired Gryffindor change the future?


Written for the QLFC Finals round one. Team/position-Kestrels Seeker. Prompt is Dynamic Timeline (every action in the past affects the future)

Disclaimer: Sadly no.

* * *

Draco sighed, hanging his head. His time was running out. The task to fix the cabinet had been given to him months ago, and he was as close to fixing it as the first time he had tried at the beginning of the school term. Harry Potter had been following him almost everywhere he went in the castle, suspicious, and rightly so.

He didn't want to do this. He didn't want to let Death Eaters into the castle. At one point in time he may have wanted Dumbledore gone, but he had never wanted to kill him. But now he had no choice, if he didn't do these things his Mother would be killed, and he'd be right behind her.

He stood, and walked back over to the blasted cabinet while raising his wand, and tried another incantation. After a few moments, he thought he heard something fluttering inside so he opened the door to check, finding what seemed like a piece of parchment stuck along the top of the cabinet where the sides met. He had to climb all the way in to reach it, and noticed that it had an incantation written on it.

Reading it to himself softly, he turned to get down out of the cabinet, but ran into the door instead. Draco frowned, he hadn't shut the door behind him when he went in to get the parchment. Odd.

Opening the door, he jumped out and looked at the incantation again, only to realize that there were no longer any words written there. Furrowing his brows, he tossed the paper aside and shook his head. It was obviously time to be done for the day.

 **o0o**

Draco walked down the corridor slowly, hands in his pockets, heading back down to the Slytherin common room. The halls were basically empty, save for a few students here and there. It was dinner time so he knew most of them would be in the Great Hall, and just like the past few weeks he didn't have much of an appetite tonight, skipping dinner had been a normalcy in his routine lately.

"Malfoy?"

He paused when he heard his name called, recognizing the voice from class. He'd be able to recognize her voice anywhere. Lifting his eyes, he turned and saw her standing there staring at him curiously. He lifted an eyebrow in her direction but didn't have time to say anything before she half turned back towards the way she came, then spun back around to face him, her face screwed up in confusion.

"How did you get up here? I just left the Great Hall and you were there eating dinner." She studied him carefully as she said it, almost accusingly.

He glared at her. "What are you going on about, Granger? I haven't been to dinner tonight, now if you'll excuse me."

He went to walk past her, lightly bumping into her as he did. Had to keep up appearances. He didn't hate her the way he did when they were kids. No, he hated her for other reasons now, the biggest one being that she was unattainable; and even though he knew that, his fascination with her that had started in their fourth year kept growing at a rapid pace.

"Here, you dropped this."

He turned and saw that she was holding out the piece of parchment that he had found in the cabinet. The parchment that he had tossed away in the Room of Requirement. Reaching out, he studied her face as he took it from her. She seemed to be equally studying him, and nodded to the parchment.

"I didn't realize you did the Arithmancy assignments so many chapters ahead."

He frowned at her and followed her eyes, realizing that it now had multiple Arithmancy notes scribbled on it. He also realized that they were from the chapter that they were currently studying.

"Do my ears deceive me? The all-mighty Granger is behind on homework? I'm not ahead, you're obviously just not paying attention. Maybe if you didn't spend so much time stuck up Potter and Weasley's arse you wouldn't fall behind."

She frowned and took a step back. "I most certainly am not behind, Malfoy. I'm actually three chapters ahead, and we haven't even begun to talk about those problems yet." She motioned to the parchment.

Draco shook his head. "Whatever, Granger. I have better things to do than to argue with you over homework."

Turning, he stuffed the homework into his pocket and continued his walk back to the common room, a small smirk forming on his face. She amused him, and it was nice to feel something other than hopelessness and frustration for once.

 **o0o**

As he neared the dungeons, he stopped as he heard a familiar voice. The voice of his best mate Blaise, and also the voice of…himself? He ducked into a small alcove and peered around the corner just in time to see Blaise arrive at the entrance to their common room, followed by the exact replica of himself.

"I don't know what's going on with you, Draco. But you know you can always ask me for help. Whatever it is, you don't have to do it alone."

Draco's eyes went wide and he remembered the conversation. It had happened weeks ago, when he was starting to feel the stress of his task. He had started withdrawing from everyone, trying to focus as much as he could on fixing that damn cabinet.

He thought back to what Granger had said to him in corridor on his way there, she had looked confused and said that he had just been at dinner. She'd been right, because he and Blaise had the conversation on their way back to the common room.

He had somehow traveled back in time a few weeks.

Hastily, he snuck out of the alcove, careful to not alert anyone of his presence. He knew how dangerous time travel was, and knew that there could be dire consequences if anyone saw him. Pausing, he realized that someone had already seen him. He hadn't run into Granger in the corridor before, hadn't had that interaction with her. Cursing, he started for the library. He needed answers, and he needed to get back to his time, before he really messed the future up.

 **o0o**

A growl of frustration could be heard throughout the small area of the library that Draco had taken over. It was secluded, tucked back away close to the restricted section, so that there was little to no chance of anyone finding him back there. Running a hand through his hair, he closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. How in the bloody hell had he time traveled?

His eyes flew open as he remembered the incantation that was on the parchment, the one that he had read aloud while he was inside the cabinet. He reached into his pocket and pulled it out. When Granger had held it out to him, it still had the incantation on it. But when he took it, all of a sudden it was Arithmancy homework. Now, looking at it again, he realized that the incantation was back.

What kind of magical parchment was this? And why was it messing with his life?

Deciding to go back to the cabinet, to see if it would work to send him back, he stood and reached for his robes. But a gasp made him pause as he snapped his head towards the sound. He inwardly cursed as he set his eyes on his unattainable Gryffindor for the second time that day.

She stood there, frozen, eyes glued to his outstretched arm. The same arm that bore the Dark Mark, the arm that had it's white sleeve rolled up the the elbow, putting the mark on full display.

It took him only a moment to start towards her as she moved to run. But he was faster, and grabbed her by the arm and hauled her against a bookshelf, trapping her between his arms.

"Harry was right!" She struggled against him, but he grabbed her wrists and pinned them to her sides, pinning her legs against the bookshelf with his own.

"Potter has no idea what he's talking about," he leaned his body forward so that he could get his wand from his pocket without letting go of her wrists.

"Let me go, Malfoy!"

"No! You aren't going to go running to Potter, Granger. I'm tired of you lot acting so righteous, when you have no idea what you're going on about!"

"I defended you!"

That made him stop. His grip on her loosened slightly, and as a result she stopped struggling against him. She turned her head, looking up at him, molten gold meeting a raging storm. She was breathing heavily from struggling, and he was vaguely aware that her chest was brushing up against his with every breath she took.

"Harry knew something was going on with you, swore that you had become a Death Eater. I wouldn't entertain the idea because deep down I never thought you'd stoop so low. Now you're just as bad as your father."

Her words shook him to his core, and his rage bubbled up. "You know NOTHING about my life! I HATE my father! I didn't choose this, Granger! Why would anyone choose to be branded by an insane tyrannical monster?! I did what I had to do to get by! He threatened to kill my mother!"

"Everyone has a choice! Even you, Malfoy! Grow up and stop being a coward! Dumbledore would never turn away anyone asking for help. All you have to do is go to him when you get back, he'll find a way to help you, and your mother."

He let out a yell of frustration and pushed her back into the bookcase. "You think you know everything! Why would he want to help me? Why would he-"

It hit him suddenly that she had said, " _when you get back_."

"What did you say?" His hands loosened on her wrists, but he didn't move his body away from hers, still trapping her against the shelf.

She stuck her chin out at him defiantly. "It didn't take me long to figure out. I know you aren't meant to be in this time."

He rolled his eyes, "Of course it didn't. Well after I Obliviate you it won't matter now, will it?"

"Don't." Her hands twisted, grabbing his wrists, but gently, as if to stop him from raising his wand to her.

"I'll go with you to Dumbledore, he can even help you figure out how to get back."

He looked at her for a few moments before asking softly, "Why would you want to help me?"

"I'd help anyone in your position, Malfoy. If what you're saying is true, and you are willing to help our side, then there's nothing to lose."

"Such a bloody Gryffindor." He raised his hand slowly, causing her to flinch and shut her eyes, but then they flew open when they felt him tug at a curl next to her face.

He cocked his head to the side, knowing that this conversation was already going to mess up his present in some way or another. It would be the only time he actually got to be this close to her, it very well might be the last time he even saw her.

"I always imagined your hair would feel as horrible as it looks, it's quite soft though."

He felt her soft gasp against his cheek as he leaned his head in closer to hers, her cheeks turning a lovely shade of pink. He stopped when his lips were mere inches from her own, curious as to why she hadn't pushed him away yet. Her eyes fluttered shut, and maybe he just imagined it but he could have sworn she tilted her head up just ever so slightly. He watched her for a few seconds, running his thumb against her hand that was now clasped in his.

"Goodbye, Granger."

 **o0o**

Stumbling out of the cabinet and onto the floor, Draco took deep breaths trying to calm his racing heart down. He'd turned and left the library as quickly as he could before she could compose herself enough to either race after him or run to Potter or Dumbledore.

He'd gone straight to the Room of Requirement and shut himself in the cabinet, once again saying the words on the parchment. He only hoped it had worked.

After he composed himself, he left the room and started making his way towards the Great Hall, careful to not run into anyone until he could figure out if he'd actually made it back to his time.

Once again though, it seemed that luck wasn't on his side, and he jumped when a finger tapped his shoulder as he was looking around a corner.

It was the blonde Ravenclaw that he's seen hanging around the Gryffindor's since last year. She smiled up at him with that airy look on her face, and a look in her eye that unnerved Draco. "Hermione is looking for you, Draco. She's up in the Astronomy tower."

She then turned and skipped away, like it was the most normal thing in the world. He stared after her like she was crazy. Before he processed what she had said, why would Granger be looking for him? And why was she up in the Astronomy tower?

He made his way up there quickly, still trying to not be seen by anyone. Night had fallen and it was dark and getting colder the higher he climbed. His breath caught in his throat when he saw her, wrapped in a blanket, staring up at the stars. She turned towards him suddenly and smiled, and it took his breath away. He never imagined her smile would be directed towards him.

"They got your mother out."

He breathed out and looked at her in confusion. "What?"

"I told you, Dumbledore is brilliant. She's with the Order, and you're safe now, Draco." She moved towards him and he found himself backing up until he hit the stone wall behind him.

"Aren't you happy? She's okay!" She threw her arms around him and laughed, the blanket cascading around them making him instantly warm. She must have put a warming charm on it.

When she pulled back she held something out to him, an envelope. "Dumbledore wanted me to give this you. He's gone from the castle right now but he said he'd send for you when he returned. I figured I could just wait with you in your room."

Draco just stared at her like she had grown another head, causing her to laugh. "What? Blaise and I can go over our Arithmancy project, it will make the time pass faster. Harry might even stop by later, he's still asking Professor McGonagall if he and Ron can get their own private room like they gave to you and Blaise."

When he didn't answer her she looked at him funny and held a hand to his forehead. "Are you feeling alright? You're acting awfully strange."

She was so close to him again, concern written all over her face. Talking like she was friends with Blaise and he was friends with Harry bloody Potter.

"I'm fine." He finally managed to say.

He followed her back down the tower and as they walked towards what he assumed was his room, he remembered the envelope she'd given him from Dumbledore. He quickly opened it, inside it contained a letter and a vial.

 _Mr. Malfoy,_

 _Cabinets are Curious things are they not? Perhaps, Mr. Potter can show you to a pensieve._

Draco looked to the vial in his hand, filled with a silvery liquid. Memories.

"Draco? Are you coming?" Hermione called out to him, several steps ahead and waiting for him.

He shook his head and let out a small laugh, he had thought that the two small conversations he'd had with her in the past would have messed the future up. But it seemed like it had done the complete opposite. Somehow, everything had ended up turning in his favor.

They got to what he assumed was his and Blaise's room, and he watched as she gave the password to let them in. He watched as she beamed at his best friend as she crossed the small common room towards Blaise, he watched as Blaise drew her in and kissed her. His heart stopped for a moment, and he forgot to breathe.

His mother was safe, he was safe, but his best friend had got the girl?

He was jolted back to reality as he felt someone clap his back. He turned to see Ron Weasley smiling at him. "Malfoy! Wizards chess, mate. Best way to pass the time till Harry and Dumbledore get back."

He blinked once, twice. Then turned and walked out of the room, ignoring the concerned voices behind him. He was headed back to the cabinet.

Because in no past, present, or future would he be friends with a Weasley.

* * *

Tried to end it on a light note. It was soooo hard to keep it at 3000 words. This one I actually wanted to make into a full on story.


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